CITY PRESS REVIEW: Deliciously mean David Tlale

Johannesburg - Designer David Tlale has opened the doors to his boutique in the hopes of finding a talented apprentice.

His reality show The Intern has slick production, with a crew and director who make every aspect of this look very high end, something Tlale is known for.

Nico Panagio is his host and the two seem to have a playful rapport.

The series starts with Tlale on Nelson Mandela bridge, where he hops out of a Mercedes dressed like a rich assassin. He’s almost always wearing black, which adds to his whole Simon Cowell-Voldemort demeanour.

He carries himself like a world-class fashion designer and he expects his interns to match his intensity and attention to quality. He tears into hopefuls during auditions, even making a few break down and cry. He claims to love people. Perhaps this is true, but he does come across as a bit harsh.

Nevertheless, it works! If he wasn’t yelling out “that’s a bye for today” every time someone had an excuse for a poor garment, the show would be rather bland.

The Intern with David Tlale airs on SABC3 (DStv channel 193) on Wednesdays at 19:30.